1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a toothpick dispenser, and more specifically to a hygienic toothpick dispenser including a storage chamber configured to protect the toothpicks from bacteria or other contaminants, and a dispensing element configured to dispense a toothpick in response to minimal engagement by the user, or in some cases no engagement at all, so as to avoid the transfer of contaminants from the user to the toothpicks stored therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Toothpicks are widely used throughout the world to maintain a certain level of dental hygiene. Along these lines, toothpicks are commonly utilized after a meal as a tool for removing food particles from the spaces between a user's teeth so as to preserve the health and appearance of the teeth. Toothpicks are also used for stimulation of the gum, for removing film on teeth, and for similar dental hygienic purposes. Removal of tooth film covering the teeth in the area towards the gum margin is particularly important for preventing dental disease.
Most conventional toothpicks are made of wood or plastic and are shaped as an elongated body with a relatively small transverse cross sectional area, wherein the elongated body terminates to define one or two distal tips for insertion in the mouth in order that it may be manually controlled to maneuver around the teeth and gum to serve its purpose, i.e., to clean and stimulate the gum. While in use, the toothpick is typically held between the fingers to be manipulated for producing the necessary movement.
Given the widespread use of toothpicks, several toothpick dispensing devices and techniques have been developed for storing and dispensing toothpicks in public locations, such as restaurants, cafeterias, cafes, and the like. A primary concern associated with public storing and dispensing of toothpicks is to maintain the toothpick in a sanitary environment until the toothpick is dispensed. In this regard, it is undesirable to simply place several toothpicks in an open container wherein users may grasp at exposed toothpicks because there is a concern that contaminants may be transferred from the user's hand to the toothpicks, which may be picked up by subsequent users. Furthermore, the toothpicks may inadvertently be spilled on the floor, requiring disposal of the toothpicks before they can be used.
To mitigate this concern, some toothpicks are individually wrapped in paper or cellophane to shield the toothpick from contaminants. The wrapper typically includes two opposed sheets, wherein the peripheral edges of the sheets are then joined to form an internal cavity where the toothpick resides. To access the toothpick, the wrapper is torn and the toothpick is removed therefrom.
Although individually wrapping the toothpicks mitigates some of the concern associated with the transfer of contaminants to the toothpicks, there is an undesirable cost associated with wrapping the toothpicks, particularly in view of the high volume of toothpicks used worldwide.
Therefore, toothpick dispensers have been developed which allow for bulk storage of unwrapped toothpicks and individual dispensing of the toothpicks. One of the most common toothpick dispensers utilized in the field is a dispenser which includes a storage box for storing the toothpicks, and a knob rotatably coupled to the storage box. The knob is configured to rotate relative to the storage box, is typically cylindrical and includes an axial slot formed therein which receives a toothpick from a storage box as the knob rotates and carries the toothpick out of the storage box and dispenses the toothpick into the dispensing tray.
Although the “knob-type” toothpick dispenser offers several economic advantages over individually wrapping the toothpicks, there are also certain deficiencies associated therewith. For instance, when the user reaches for the toothpick, the user oftentimes contacts the external surface of the knob, which in turn, may transfer contaminants from the user to the knob, which may ultimately contaminate any toothpick subsequently dispensed by the knob, or subsequent users who come in contact with the knob.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved toothpick dispenser which is configured to store a plurality of toothpicks in a hygienic environment and dispense the toothpicks with minimal or no contact between the dispenser and the user's hand.